Pneumatic amusement machine gun



Feb. 23, 1-943. C. A. FELTMAN 2,312,244

PNEUMATIC AMUSEMENT MACHINE GUN Filed May 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Pi G. 5'

CHA mes A.FEL TMA N INVENTOR.

BY WWW ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1943.v c, A. FELTMAN PNEUMATIC AMUSEMENT MACHINE GUN Filed May 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNETED STATES E A'FENT @i t'l-CE.

PNEUMATIC. AMUSEMENT MACHINE GUN Charles A. Feltman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 26, 1941, Serial No. 395,169

4 Claims. (01. 124-11) My invention relates to pneumatic amusement machine guns and has particular reference to machine guns for use in shooting galleries.

My invention has for its object to provide a machine gun of a simple and inexpensive construction which can be used for a continuous projection of bullets from its magazine by compressed air until the magazine is exhausted, the starting and stopping of the shooting being manually controlled by a-suitable trigger.

Another object of my invention is to provide anautomatic means for controlling the rate of the charge of the balls through the barrel and for admitting the air into the barrel only at such moments when aball is placed into the breech of the barrel. For this purpose I provide a. rotary distributor operatedby an electric motor.

In a modified construction I employ a cam operated plunger for delivering balls, one at a time, from the magazine intothe barrel of the gun, this construction being an improvement on a disclosure in my Patent No. 22383-84.

In. another embodiment of my invention I provide areciprocating air motor for operating a plunger which delivers balls from the magazine into the barrel, the gun being sufrlciently light so thatit can. be fired from the shoulder without a. tripod.

For convenience in handling the gun, I mount the same on aswivel supported on a permanent stand, stops, being provided to limit the rotation of the gun in the vertical andhorizontal planes.

My invention is more 'fully described in the accompanying specification. and drawings, in which:

Fig. l. is. a fractional sectional elevational. view of my machine gun;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the same;

Fig. 4. is a. fractional sectional elevational view of. a modification representing a shoulder type submachine gun;

Fig. 5 isaside View ofa firing mechanism;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same;

Fig- '7 is. a sectional detail view of a noise producing device;

Fig- 8 is. an elevational view of the submachine gunon a smaller scale.

My machine gun consists of a block 85 having transverse holes 85 and 85 for a magazine. pipe 81 fitted at one end into the front portion of the hole 85 and a barrel I fitted into the front portion of. the hole 86. The magazinev pipe isv bent upon itself; the other end being fitted into a hole 88''. supply pipe 89 is. fitted intothe rear end of the hole 8 6, the other end of the pipe 89 extending from a control. valve 58 for compressed air delivered by a. flexible pipe 96. A reduction valve 9| extendsfrom the valve 56 and is connected with an air supply pipe 92v for the magazine pipe 8'I-, the pipe 92 being fitted into the rear portionof the hole 85. A hole 93 is drilled in the block it at a small angle to the hole for delivering balls I i, into the magazine pipethrough a nipple St. A valve 95 has a suificiently large opening. 98 for admitting the balls intothe magazine pipe when it is open. This valve, when closed, seals the magazine pipe from the outside air. 7

The block 84 has a bore 9'! for a cylindrical distributor or plunger 98.. The latter has an extension. Ital sliding, in a plug I60 fitted in a bore ma in a push rod 99. A spring IElZacts-On a head Hi3 of the extension Hi0, keeping the plunger and push, rod apart. The push rod is of a larger diameter than the plunger 9.8, sliding in a. larger bore E8 forming a shoulder ItIii for a spring I09 whose other end rests against the upper end'of the push rod. The spring. I02 is sufficiently strong to operate the cylinder 98 and serves only to soften the blows. of the push rod against the cylinder and to compensate for any errors in. the adjustment of the operative positions of the cylinder G3. The outer end of .the push rod 99 has a roller ltd. engaged by a cam I05. operated by a motor I8. The push rod 99 is locked in its upper or inoperative position by a yoke. I06 engaging a notch It? on the rod, the yoke being connected with a rod 38 extending from a push button It] on the end of a valve rod II. The push rod is released for operation when the yoke is moved out of the notch I01 by depressing the push button I0, thereby opening the valve and admitting compressed air into the gun.

The cylinder 98 has a depression H8 at one side for receiving one ball from the magazine when the cylinder is inits. upper position, as shown in Fig. 1. The exact position ofthe cylinder is determined by a pin I I I engaging the lower edge of a slot H2 in the plunger. A light spring H3 presses the pin. I I I against the cylinder. The latter has a hole for the pin extending into the depression or recess H0, so that the end of the pin extends into the recess, preventing movement of the cylinder. The pin, however, is pushed back when there are balls in the magazine under air pressure from the pipe 92. The low position of the cylinder is determined by the upper edge of the slot H2 engaging the pin III. The depression IIiI with the ball II is placed opposite the rear end of the barrel when the cylinder is moved downward, to be ejected by the air pressure, acting through the pipe 89 and hole in the plunger. The cylinder 98 is prevented from rotation by a set screw I I3, engaging a fiat side I I4 of the cylinder.

Still another modification is shown in Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive, representing a portable submachine gun or Tommy gun. It has a main block II5, drilled at I I6 for a barrel 1. A magazine pipe I I1 is fitted into a bushing I I8 inserted into a corresponding bore in the other side of the block. A distributing cylinder or plunger II9 slides in a bushing I fitted in a bore I2 I. The cylinder I I9 has a transverse hole I22 of the same diameter as the balls II which it receives from the bushing II8. A slot I23, engaged by a set screw I24, determines the exact position of the hole I22 opposite the magazine bushing H8 in the lower position of the cylinder, and opposite the barrel 1 in the upper position of the cylinder. The ball is ejected through the barrel in the latter position of the cylinder II9 by the compressed air admitted through an air pipe I25 and duct I26. The air pipe receives compressed air through a duct I21 in the upper block I I5 and a pipe I21 in the lower block I28 connected with a flexible supply pipe 90. A valve I29 controls the air supply to the duct I 26. The valve is normally maintained closed by a spring I3I engaging a button I 32 on a stem I30. The valve is opened by a trigger I33 (Fig. 17).

The pipes I I1 and I25 are fitted at the rear into a block I34 and are connected together by a duct I35. A bore I36 extends from the pipe II1 to the rear of the block and has an enlarged opening for inserting balls into the magazine. The bore I36 is normally closed by a plunger I31 sliding in a transverse bore I38 and extending outside the block. A spring I39, resting against a head I40, keeps the plunger in a withdrawn position. The plunger can be pushed up by pressing on the head I40, thereby bringing a hole I M in line with the bore I 36 when it is desired to charge the magazine pipe with the balls. The movements of the plunger I31 are limited by a set screw I42 engaging a slot I43 in the plunger.

The distributing cylinder I I9 is operated by an air motor consisting of a free plunger I44 sliding in a bore I45 in the lower block I28. The plunger normally rests against a screw plug I45 under pressure of a spring I46 engaging a head I41 on the cylinder II9. Elastic connection between the cylinder H9 and plunger I44 is provided by a spring I48 in a bore I49 engaging an extension I50 on the lower end of the cylinder I I9.

The plunger I44 is raised by the compressed air admitted to its lower end by a duct I 5| extending from the duct I26 through a rotary valve I52. The valve extends to the outside of the block and has an arm I53 movable between pins I54 and I55. It is normally pressed against the pin I54 by a spring I56 attached at the other end to a bar I51, the valve being then open. The bar I51 is attached to a pin I58 extending from the plunger I44 through an elongated slot I59 in the wall of the block I28.

The valve I52 being normally open, the compressed air raises the plunger I44 as soon as the trigger valve I29 is opened. The plunger brings a. ball II to the rear end of the barrel, and the ball is fired through the barrel by the air pressure through the duct I26. The bar I51, however, passes to the other side of the valve I52, so that the spring I56 pulls the arm I53 into the upper position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 14, thereby closing the valve. The spring I46 moves the cylinder II9 down, bringing also down the plunger I44. The arm I53 is again moved down against the pin I54, opening the valve. The operation continues as long as the trigger valve I29 is open, the plunger and the cylinder reciprocating at a high rate of speed until all the balls in the magazine pipe II1 are fired. The valve I52 has an exhaust opening I52 at right angles to the intake opening, the exhaust air passing through a duct I5I, and through a hole I54 to the outside, a screw I44 controlling the exhaust opening thereby controlling the speed of the operation.

The valve I52 has an exhaust opening I52 at right angles to the intake opening, the exhaust air passing through a duct I5I and through a hole I54 to the outside, a screw I44 controlling the exhaust opening, thereby controlling the speed of the operation.

In order to prevent operation of the plungers when there are no more balls in the magazine, a safety device is provided consisting of a bar I55 rotating on a pin I56 in a slot I51 in the bushing H8. The bar has a fiat upper side engaged by the flat side of a shaft I58 extending to the outside of the block II5. An arm I59 is attached to the shaft I58 and is pivoted at I60 to one end of a link I6I, the other end being pivoted at I62 to a lever I63. The latter rotates on a pin I64 and is pulled downward by a sprin I65 extending from the end of a cam arm I66 pivoted at I61 on the block I28. The arm I66 is normally turned to the left, maintainin the spring I 65 under light tension, so that the bar I55 is readily deflected upward by the balls, moving in the bushing I I8, turning the shaft I58 and raising the lever I63. The spring I65 is tightened when the plunger I44 is moved upward, the pin I53 engaging the cam portion I68 of the arm I66 and moving it to the right. In this position of the arm I66, the lever I63 is moved downward if there are no more balls in the magazine pipe to raise the bar I55, so that the sharp end of the arm I59 is caught by a hook I69 on the end of the lever I63, retaining the latter in this position with the valve I 52 closed. It will be opened again, however, when the magazine pipe II1 is filled with the balls, raising the bar I55.

The cylinder H9 is prevented from rotation by a set screw I13, engaging a corresponding flat side of the cylinder. 7

A noise producing device I14 is attached to the muzzle of the barrel 1, the device consisting of a tube of a larger diameter than the bore, the tube having in the middle a diaphragm I16 with an opening I11 of the same diameter as the bore of the barrel 1. The balls, passing through the diaphragm produce a sharp explosive noise.

The gun may be enclosed in a suitable casing I18 as shown in Fig. 1'7, with fins I19 for the barrel and handles I80, I9I, mounted for rotation on a base I82.

It is understood that my pneumatic amusement machine gun may be further modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a block, a pipe extending from the block formin a magazine for balls, a barrel extending from the block for firing the balls, the block having channels in communication with the pipe and with the barrel, a cylindrical member slidably fitted in the block for movement in the plane of the channels and provided with a recess for receivadapted to receive a ball from the magazine into the recess and to transfer the ball to the back of the barrel, the ball being adapted to be projected through the barrel by the compressed air, and means to render the air valve inoperative when no more balls are left in the magazine.

2. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a block, a Pipe extending from the block formin a magazine for balls, a barrel extending from the block for firing the balls, the block having channels in communication with the pipe and with the barrel, a cylindrical member slidably fitted in the block for movement in the plane of the channels and provided with a recess for receiving a ball from the magazine, a plunger slidably supported at the block engaging the cylindrical member, a valve for admitting compressed air to the outer end of the plunger for moving the plunger against the cylindrical member, thereby placing the recess in position for receiving a ball from the magazine, means to release the air from the plunger, means to return the cylindrical member into a firing position with the ball in the recess opposite the barrel, and means controlled by the movement of the balls in the magazine for rendering the valve operative.

3. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a block, a pipe extending from the block forming a magazine for balls, a barrel extending from the block for firing the balls, the block havin channels in communication with the pipe and with the barrel, an elongated member slidably fitted in the block for movement in the plane of the channels and provided with a recess for receiving a ball from the magazine, means to move the member by compressed air into a position for receiving a ball from the magazine into the recess, yieldable means for returning the member into a firing position with the ball opposite the barrel, the ball being then adapted to be projected through the barrel by the compressed air, and a valve to separately control the air pressure from the magazine for the member and for firing the ball.

4. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a block, a pipe extending from the block forming a magazine for balls, a barrel extending from the block for firing the balls, the block having channels in communication with the pipe and with the barrel, an elongated member slidably fitted in the block for movement in the plane of the channels and provided with a recess for receiving a ball from the magazine, a plunger slidably fitted in a tubular chamber in the block operatively connected with the member, a valve for admitting compressed air into the chamber at the end of the plunger for moving the plunger against the elongated member so as to bring the recess in alignment with the magazine for receiving a ball, means to control the valve by the movement of the plunger for releasing the air at the completion of the movement of the plunger, means to return the elongated member into a firing position with the ball opposite the barrel and in alignment with an opening in the block for admitting the compressed air into the barrel, thereby firing the ball, a latch movably supported on the block, and a bar connected to the latch extending into the magazine channel, the latch being adapted to engage the valve, thereby rendering the plunger inoperative, the latch being adapted to be rendered inoperative when the bar is raised by the balls in the magazine channel.

CHARLES A. FELTMAN. 

